Aeroplane float signal



P. A. KUHN AEROPLANE FLOAT SIGNAL Filed Oct. 21,1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Inventor May 1932- P. A. KUHN A'EROPLANE FLOAT SIGNAL Filed Oct. 21,1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor flitorney W (a o W4 6 o o o F 0 ZW M m vpP m Patented May 24. 1932 UNITED STATES PHILLIP A. KUHN, OF GALVESTON,TEXAS AEROPLANE FLOAT SIGNAL Application filed October 21, 1931. SerialNo. 570,181.

This invention relates to a floating signal for aeroplanes and the like,the general object of the invention being to provide means forindicating the spot in where an aeroplane or the like has sunk. withmeans for normally holding the signal in a compartment formed in a partof the fuselage and means for automatically releasing the spring door ofthe compartment when the plane drops into a body of water so that thesignal will float from the compartment and rise to the surface. I

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1is a view showing the signal in use marking the spot where an aeroplanehas sunk into abody of water.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through part of the fuselage of the 'planeshowing the parts of the invention therein.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view thru Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionalview thru the lock cylinder.

Fig. 6 is a view of the cap for said cylinder.

Fig. 7 is a view of a roll of blotting paper for normally holding thespring bolt in projected position.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a casing which forms a smallcompartmentin the fuselage of the plane and which is "located on oneside thereof, and the fuselage is formed with an opening 2 whichcommunimates with the compartment, and this opening is closed by a doorwhich is provided with the spring hinge 4, the spring of which normallyholds the door in open position.

A cylinder 5 is suitably supported in the fuselage adjacent the casing1, and a bolt 6 is located in the cylinder with a part projecta body ofwater I ing therefrom to engage the keeper 7 of the door to normallyhold the door in closed position. The inner end of the bolt is providedwith a head 8, and a spring 9 is placed between the head and the lowerend of the cylinder and tendsto hold the bolt in retracted position sothat the door can he opened by the spring hinge.

A roll 10 of blotting paper normally holds the bolt projected tween thehead 8 and a perforated cap 11, which is detachably connected to theupper end of the cylinder by the screws 12. The blotting paper is rolledwith the grain and glued together with sealing paper.

Thus, as water enters the fuselage, some of this water will pass throughthe perforations in the top 11 and enter the cylinder 5 so as to moistenthe blotting paper which will then collapse under the pressure of thespring 9, so that the spring will retract the bolt 6 and the door willswing open under the action of its springhinge.

A ring-shaped float or buoy 13 is placed in the chamber formed by thecasing 1 and a staff 14 is pivotally arranged in the buoy as shown at 15and has a weight 16 on its lower end and a flag 17 on its other end, theweight tending to hold the staff in upright position when the float orbuoy is floating on the sun; face of the water as shown in Fig. 1. e

A cable 18 is connected to the float and passes through a hole 19 in theinner Wall of the casing 1, and then passes downwardly and is wound upona spool, (not shown) located in a housing 20 fastened to an internalwall of the fuselage, and formed with aslot 21 through which the cablepasses.

From the foregoing it will be seen that if the aeroplane should fallinto a body of 99 Water, the water entering the fuselage would find itsway into the cylinder 5 through the perforations in the can 11. so thatthe cartridge or roll 10 of blotting paper, would become mo st. and thuscollapse under the pressure of the spring 9, so that the spring wouldretract the bolt 6' and release the door, and then the spring hinge ofthe door will swing the same to open position.

The flow of water into the casing 1 would 100 as said roll is placed be-60' ing the cable 18 the buoy out 'of the casing,

surface, pullin the casin of course float and the buoy would rise to thefrom the spool 20 and the weight 16 will cause the flag sta to assume avertical position as shown in Fig. 1, so as to mark the spot where thesunken lane rests.

It is thought from'the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my'invention, what I claim as new is I member onthe door a casing located in the closing the casing, a spring 1. Meansfor marking the spot where a craft has sunk in a body of a casingattached to the craft, a door for normally closing the casing, springmeans for normally holding the door in open position, a bolt for holdingthe door in closed position, a cylinder in which the bolt is locatedwith the bolt projectin .inder, member formed in the cylinder fornormally holding the bolt projected, said cylinder having perforationstherein fortheadmission of water to the member, a buoy located in thecasing and a flexible memberconnecting the buoy with the craft.

2. Means for marking craft'has sunk i to a body ing a casing carried bythe and opening out thru for closing the casing, spring means fornormally holding the door in open buoy in the casing, a casin within thecraft and having a spool rotatab y arranged therein, a cable wound onthe spool into the casing first mentioned and attached to the buoy, acylinder located in the craft adjacent the door, a bolt passing throughone end of the cylinder for engaging a keeper for holding the door inclosed position, a head on the inner en of the bolt, a spring locatedbetween the head and a part of the cylinder for retracting the bolt, aroll of blotting paper inder between the head cylinder for-holdingcylinder having perforations therein.

3. Means for marking the position of a sunken craft in a body of watercomprising body of the craft and thereof, a door for for holding thedoor in open position, a cylinder arranged adjacent the casing, a boltpassing through one end of the cylinder and engaging a keeper member onthe door for holding the door in closed position, a perforated capclosing the other end of the cylinder, a head the spot where a of watercomprisbody of the craft and one end of the opening through one wall onthe inner end of the bolt a ,wall thereof, a door position, a

located in the 03 1-.

a spring located between the head and the lower end of the cylinder forholding the bolt retract-ed, a roll of blotting paper located in thecylinder between the head and the erforated cap for holding the boltprojecte a buoy in the casing, a cable connecting the buoy with a partof the body of the craft, and a pivoted and weighted uoy. y

In testimony whereof I afiix my siganture.

. PHILLIP A. KUHN.

d of the cyl f the bolt, a

and passing I the bolt projected, said I flag carrying staff carried bythe

